I got the call the day before New Year’s Eve. My friend Sarah Gilmour and I raced to Sydney’s Restaurant and Lounge in Paynter’s Mill for its 4 p.m. opening. I couldn’t believe that after just a little more than three years, the place I so quickly have grown to love was closing.
As a transplant from Washington, D.C., Sydney’s became my comfortable go-to place for good food and great music that attracted interesting and friendly people. I felt at home sitting at the bar by myself having a casual chat with a stranger. I could order take-out for their infamous barbecue, and my D.C. friends gravitated to the casual feel of the place that featured musicians that would have been quadruple the price in a D.C. venue.
After just a couple of visits, brothers Anthony and Elton Lewis, who, along with two others created Sydney’s, welcomed me by name. Hostess Pat Leggins often gave me a hug before she showed us to our reserved table.
I always could find a savory meal or snack from their hearty American cuisine.
Their southern fried chicken was unbeatable. When I wanted to be a bit more healthful, I’d order their incredible Brussels sprouts dish.
Sydney’s brought diversity into our neighborhood. According to the Cape Gazette, it was one of the few Black-owned businesses in the Cape Region. The audience was always diverse. But the diversity didn’t stop there. The Lewises promoted both local young groups and established musicians. They featured girl bands, and they brought national blues, jazz, and rock & roll bands to perform. They offered gospel brunches and ladies nights. What I loved seeing were the performances organized by jazz musician and music teacher Christy Taylor, who featured her young students on the stage.
Sydney’s was the venue where last summer my friend held her birthday party. We had so much fun at hers that this past December, I celebrated my birthday at Sydney’s as well. My table of 11 took up the middle of the room. At another table, a woman also was celebrating her birthday. We both shared our cakes with the band and others.
Sydney’s was a place I could get up and dance if the music moved me. It was easy to join others on the dance floor or dance with a group of friends. It was also a place I got to know neighbors, saw friends and met new people. No matter who I was sitting next to, I was guaranteed to have a lively conversation with a stranger.
Earlier in the year, Shrimpy’s and The Pond, two venues that were also good places to listen to local music, shut their doors. However, there’s a glimmer of hope that the “deliberate inclusiveness” that Anthony Lewis said the owners planned in the creation of Sydney’s may come around once again.
Anthony and Elton Lewis did not say this would be their final hurrah. Both said they miss doing what they love. In fact, Anthony suggested that a new location may be in the cards. In the meantime, I’m enjoying listening to music at several excellent local spots.
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